Skwerl

Does anyone have any tips on painting calipers? I suppose the recommended method is to jack up the car, take off each wheel, then paint it? The wheels are Design 90 and it seems I could actually just paint them with the wheel still on. Should I be careful not to get any paint on the rotor? Also, what kind of paint should I get? Spray paint? The Autozone by me doesn't carry caliper paint, so is there an alternative?

Julian Allen

Powdercoating works very well. The calipers have to come off, be media blasted, then coated (it's a dry powder technique followed by oven baking), but the finish matches what the factory provides.

Dave

1, DO NOT get any paint on the rotors.
2, DO NOT get any paint on the bleeders.
3, DO NOT get any paint on the piston(s)
or piston seal(s).
4, DO NOT get any paint on the brake hoses
if you ever want to change them.
5, Did you mention what model you have? If
your car is a n/a, DO NOT get any paint
in the area where the carrage slides in
the frame.
Make sure the paint can handle high temp. like 400-500F. Due to the number of places
that should not be painted, spray paint is
not the best way to do this. Make sure surfaces to be painted are clean. Kits are available that include brake cleaner, two-part lacquer, a little brush and bad instructions, I say bad because they didn't mention all the areas that shouldn't get paint. I, of course, tried to get close to the bleeders, a little paint must have seeped into the thread, etc. All was fine until I went to flush my brakes and almost sheared the bleeder off trying to crack it open.

Oh yeah...I think you're gonna have to take the wheels off.

Skwerl

I'm wanting to use engine or barbeque paint because of its lower price, and I've read of people using it, but I'm wondering if brake dust will stick to and imbed itself in it in no time and leave me with dull or even uglier calipers. Am I better off investing in the expensive FoliaTec stuff? I wouldn't mind if I had to repaint every 2 years, but if they start looking ugly in 2 months I may be a little disappointed.

Perry 951

If you are low on the cash flow, go grab a can of Krylon. I've seen it used for years on calipers, and it stays nice until you get them real hot, or about 2 years. I have never seen a caliper fire from paint.. ususally from road debris or gunk.
Remove the caliper, use a lot of Brake Kleen (CRC makes it.. use the red can stuff.. not the green), mask off everything you can and spray away.
Fun part is bleeding the brakes after you are done.

[ 06-28-2001: Message edited by: perry951 ]

Johannes E.

Skwerl,

I certainly hope you are joking with us when you say "I could actually just paint them with the wheel still on". All the above that is said is important and secondly a Porsche deserves a better treatment and the looks of as if a 5 yearold has been around with a brush and paint.

Ciao,

Johannes E.

doyle

Don't do it. You don't want to look like one of the civics or focus's running around with huge wheels, small sidewalls, and even smaller little brakes with red or yellow calipers. It looks ridiculous. The only correct way to have painted calipers is to spend the money and do the conversion to the big red calipers. Of course this is just my opinion.

Skwerl

You are correct in your interpretation.

And [b]doyle[b], the effect will not be rice-esque, as I have Design 90 wheels (that are 16 inches) and the calipers do not show that much. It would be just a subtle enhancement.

And it's not that I'm low on the cash flow, it's just I'd rather not spend $40 more than I have to. Even though I'll probably go that route so I can use a little brush and thus preserve the Porsche logo on the brakes.

Matt O.

There is that engine enamel that's good up to 1200 F.

Sorry if someone already said this I have to go look at a Turbo for sale and didn't have time to read. I'll let you all know how it goes! Keep your fingers crossed.

Thanks,
Matt

IceShark

You are going at this all wrong if you want it to look good and last and you seem to want to resist the suggestions. Using a tiny brush to preserve the Porsche name in contrast is another "don't do it" item. You paint right over the whole name and after the paint has cured you go over the name with a flat (very flat and true) surfaced abrasive and knock the paint off.

Thaddeus

Has anybody seen those aftermarket brake calipers that are made of anodized aluminum in blue, green, pink and purple, and have those nifty LED displays that flash in patterns?


Just kidding...

Thaddeus

Skwerl

Which suggestions was it that I was resisting again? For example, Dave's post was very helpful. Informative and to the point. Johannes' was not helpful. I've learned from this thread and sites on the internet, and I think I know what I'm doing now. And Thaddeus, I'm not a ricer. It's just a simple visual modification, subtle but effective. Judging from the sites I've seen, it's not really limited to the import rice crowd, either.

Thaddeus

No worries, man, I wasn't throwing rice at you. I had a post a few days ago about anodized aluminum gewgaws and I'm still fixated on the issue, neurotic turd that I am.

I too will paint my brake calipers once I get more critical stuff under control... the 951 is in surgery right this minute for a steering rack...

~cheers~

T

IceShark

Skwerl, pulling the caliper is the way to go. Then you can clean it right, mask things off and paint with what you will.

You started this thread off by wondering if it was bad to get paint on the rotor and it still sounds like you want to paint them in place with a couple brushes which may not work out so great.

Skwerl

I would rather do it that way, believe me, but I just had the brake fluid changed and the brakes bled and I thought that by taking the calipers off I'd have to go through all that again. Is that true? Anyway, I've seen sites where people have just put newspaper between the caliper and the rotor, and everywhere else, and sprayed it right there. That isn't a good way to do it?